'Signtec' Trophy at MGLive Silverstone 12th July . .

Many enthusiasts make this event something of an annual pilgrimage to the greatest MG show on earth, and 'Equipe' GTS  welcomed new cars and drivers to a 36 car grid. Nils-Frederik Nybaeus travelled from Denmark and also took part in the previous day's Austin Healey 3000 50th birthday celebration race in his Austin Healey 100M - Richard McKoen debuted his smartly turned out 1962 MG Midget - Harvey Woods impressed onlookers with his immaculate Ashley bodied MG Midget - Richard Skinner arrived in his recently acquired MGB - Colin Parkinson brought along his superb MGA Coupe which is a replica of the works team cars which ran at Sebring in 1959 - and a very rare sight was the Tornado Talisman of Simon Merriott.

Practice - Tom Smith simply blew everyone away. The MGB hotshoe turned up the wick to full burn and posted an astonishing time 3.2s clear of the talented Jeremy Cottingham, where the series norm is a top three or four separated by tenths. Alex Quattlebaum carried over his Le Mans form in the Elva Courier and posted 5th fastest, John Andon (Triumph TR4) topped Class 5, Merriott Class 3 and Clive Cocks (WSM) Class 2.

30 minute race - Having posted his fastest time on lap 3, Smith sauntered home. In his wake, greatest interest was in the dispute over second, third and fourth positions which was much more typical of the series. Cottingham held off the fast charging Rob Cull in his TVR who in turn was never much more than a second or so in front of the "Fast Moustache" MGB of David Beresford. The two British Racing Green MGB's of Mike Harris and David Gardner completed the top six from Andon in his Class winning TR4. Sporting the novice cross, Skinner impressed with a 12th place finish, and Dianne Osborne in another BRG MGB took the ladies prize in 13th overall. Pleased as punch was Woods with 22nd overall, this race being the Ashley MG Midget's first competitive outing. Simon Gurney took Class 3 honours, while Harvey took the Class win from Brian Arculus who drove well in his WSM bodied MG Midget - the Ashley eventually holding a 3 second advantage - with Helen Elstrop's Triumph Spitfire less than a second behind the dicing MG's.

Photography courtesy of Paul Webb Click on Results for full race details courtesy of TSL Timing

Rounds 10 & 11 'Equipe' GTS races August 8th / 9th Silverstone - Bentley Drivers Club